Mass Readings for August 23, 2023

Judges 9:6-15
Psalms 21:2-7
Matthew 20:1-16

Judges 9:6-15
(6) All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem. (7) When they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, cried out, and said to them, “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you. (8) The trees set out to anoint a king over themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ (9) “But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I stop producing my oil, with which they honor God and man by me, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’ (10) “The trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’ (11) “But the fig tree said to them, ‘Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’ (12) “The trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’ (13) “The vine said to them, ‘Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’ (14) “Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come and reign over us.’ (15) “The bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’

Psalms 21:2-7
(2) You have given him his heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah. (3) For you meet him with the blessings of goodness. You set a crown of fine gold on his head. (4) He asked life of you, you gave it to him, even length of days forever and ever. (5) His glory is great in your salvation. You lay honor and majesty on him. (6) For you make him most blessed forever. You make him glad with joy in your presence. (7) For the king trusts in Yahweh. Through the loving kindness of the Most High, he shall not be moved.

Matthew 20:1-16
(1) “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. (2) When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. (3) He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace. (4) He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went their way. (5) Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. (6) About the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle. He said to them, ‘Why do you stand here all day idle?’ (7) “They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ “He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.’ (8) When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.’ (9) “When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius. (10) When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius. (11) When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household, (12) saying, ‘These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat!’ (13) “But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me for a denarius? (14) Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you. (15) Isn’t it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?’ (16) So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”